Council officials have met with residents following feedback over changes to bin collections in Blackburn and Darwen.

The Council is dedicated to working together to try and achieve the best solution for collecting waste in order to make savings of over £250k annually.

The authority has had to change bin collections due to an unprecedented reduction in funding, with many millions of pounds removed from the Council budget over the past six years.

The alternate weekly collection service starts on October 3, 2016 – where one week rubbish will be collected, recycling the following week. This also means that for many residents their bin collection day will change and information packs are being provided with a calendar.

A number of rural properties are changing to a collection point service. This is because costs of collecting waste and recycling from rural properties in the borough are eight times more expensive. It costs £130 to collect waste per property in rural areas compared to £16 in urban areas.

To enable a collection in rural areas, the Council is offering to provide the collection point service at or near the adopted roadway and we are currently working with individuals and groups of residents to find the best location and solution for them.

The changes are designed to reduce the costs of refuse disposal, as well as refuse collection and to improve recycling rates. This will help us to save money that we can use to protect frontline services and will also have benefits for the environment.

Cllr Jim Smith, Executive Member for Environment, said:

We have had no other choice than to make changes to save money. We are doing what many other local authorities already do but remain committed to listening to residents and helping where we can.

We are working with residents and meeting with them to understand concerns and put in measures to mitigate any problems where possible.

I would like to thank those residents living in rural areas who have already shown true community spirit by offering to help and in cases where they have elderly neighbours, offering to assist them.

Some residents have also offered to create hard standing areas at the bottom of lanes for the new collection points and I would like to thank them for their support.

The Council can provide further help where needed such as providing extra bins, extra bin sacks, and relocate the collection points if there are valid reasons why current arrangements aren’t suitable.

We can also assist, where possible, by providing lockable larger bins, which can be shared at a communal point accessible to both the refuse crew and residents.

Where there are a number of properties using the same, new collection point, there is an option for residents to have larger bins, either 660 litre or 1,100 litre bins, provided free of charge.

The Council does not limit the number of recycling bins you can have at your property.

Please note collection days may have changed – residents will receive a calendar with an information pack – you can also check the date online.

We are also aware of a small number of people in receipt of social care who may need extra help getting their bins and bags out for collection. Residents can apply for assisted bin collections online or they can ring us direct if they do not already receive assistance.

You can go online to create your own account and access your bin collection dates at mybwd.blackburn.gov.uk.

For more information about bin collections and recycling, please search for ‘bins’ at www.blackburn.gov.uk or visit the BwDbins Facebook page.